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BREAKING NEWS ABOUT 2009 SWCHA CONFERENCE
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Message from the President
Greetings!
As the winter months come to an end and the first signs of spring bring a promise of warmer days ahead, I hope this newsletter finds you well as you prepare to wind down another academic year. The SWCHA 2008 meeting in Austin was a resounding success with a multitude of various stimulating and informative educational sessions, coupled with a chance to network with old friends and colleagues as well as opportunities to meet new ones. We will once again have an opportunity for professional growth, meeting with colleagues and friends-old and new, and be able to experience the sights and sounds of the vibrant exciting city of San Francisco during the ACHA 2009 annual conference. I strongly encourage you to consider attending this always fulfilling and informative conference. Registration is now open and early bird registration is through April 10. More details and registration information can be found at www.acha.org/AnnualMeeting09/index.html.
ACHA News
ACHA is once again graciously hosting a Leadership Day to be held in conjunction with the 2009 Annual Conference in San Francisco. The program will provide an opportunity for current and emerging ACHA leaders to learn the skills involved in a strategic planning process and how to use those skills in forming a strategic plan for ACHA leadership development. Three officers and three emerging leaders from each affiliate will attend.
Affiliate Presidents met with ACHA President Chad Henderson, via phone in mid-January to discuss various business matters. The phone conference was very productive, with some of the issues being highlighted below:
- 1. Liability policy-Because each affiliate has separate BOD and separate tax ID numbers, each affiliate needs its own policy that will provide general liability coverage and personal/property damage coverage (i.e.: during the affiliate annual conference).
- 2. Conflict of interest policy- ACHA has recommended that each affiliate begin discussions for drafting their own policy in this regard. ACHA has a policy that they have offered as a template.
- 3. Commercial support of speakers-ACHA has drafted a policy for the national office and recommends the affiliates consider doing something similar.
- 4. Memberships-Down overall from the previous year. Everyone is experiencing budget cuts. Because this has had a big impact on annual affiliate meetings, ACHA has encouraged discussions to identify creative ways that costs can be curtailed and the membership would still be able to reap the benefits of an affiliate conference. Two ideas that have been presented for discussion include, having a biannual meeting and collaborating with another affiliate to co-host an affiliate meeting.
These and other issues will be discussed in greater detail at the SWCHA business meeting at the 2009 ACHA Annual Conference in San Francisco.
SWCHA News
State Representatives
I am extremely pleased to announce that SWCHA has a full slate of state representatives. The New Mexico representative position was left vacant when Dr. Beverly Kloeppel assumed the office of President-Elect in October 2008 at the SWCHA annual meeting. Since then, Amy Frederick who is a Nurse Manager at the University of New Mexico Student Health and Counseling Center has taken over as the New Mexico representative for SWCHA. On behalf of SWCHA, I would like to extend a warm welcome and a big thank you to Amy for volunteering to take on this role. The state representatives are very important to SWCHA, as they provide a critical link between our regional organization and their individual states. They not only represent their respective states on behalf of SWCHA, they provide the ever important role of welcoming new members from their state to ACHA/SWCHA.
Student Representatives
Two student representative positions remain open. Students are an extremely important part of the organization and it is my goal to have both of these positions filled as soon as possible. The duties of the student representatives include facilitating student involvement in SWCHA, serving on the SWCHA Board of Directors and representing SWCHA student members in the Student Consumer's Section of ACHA. Any student who is a member of SWCHA or any SWCHA member who knows a student that might be interested in this position can contact me at kerry.scruggs@uthct.edu.
Upcoming Events
SWCHA officer nominations will begin in May for the offices of President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, and Historian to serve for the 2009-2010 term. Becoming involved as an officer is one of the most fulfilling endeavors you will experience as a member of SWCHA. If you are interested in running for one of these positions or have questions, please contact the chairperson of the Nominations Committee, Leah Arnett at l.arnett@uhs.utexas.edu.
Challenge to SWCHA members:
As you are aware, our country is experiencing unprecedented economic challenges. In addition, most of you are also aware that colleges and universities have not been immune to these economic hard times, and as a result many have incurred budget cuts and even layoffs. For many, funds for travel, continuing education, organizational memberships, etc. have been greatly reduced or cut all together. We are all having to tighten the old proverbial belt while having to make some tough choices and decisions. Unfortunately, this has not surprisingly impacted ACHA membership as well as that of the affiliates, including SWCHA. I would like to challenge each of you to take a few minutes out of your busy schedules and reach out to other colleges and universities and let them know about the wonderful benefits that ACHA/SWCHA has to offer. Support through networking and sharing ideas on many things, including how to accomplish what needs to be done with fewer resources, is likely something that will appeal to everyone and is just one of the benefits of this organization. I have listed your SWCHA state representatives who can help you in extending an invitation to SWCHA potential members. Remember that with a membership in ACHA they automatically become a member of SWCHA.
Commentary
As I reflect on the time I have been involved with ACHA/SWCHA over the last few years, one of the great strengths of this organization that still continues to impress me is its diversity. ACHA is truly an organization that lives and breathes diversity. Its membership is reflected in the various types of institutions of higher education; small, large, public, private, rural, urban, etc. Its members are comprised of a multiplicity of disciplines, each bringing its own unique strengths and insight into the college health arena. These various disciplines, each equally important as the other, make up a team whose strength is unparalleled. And finally and most importantly, are the students. Students are without question, the heartbeat and the foundation of college health. They are why we have selected college health as the place to practice our chosen field. Their enthusiasm, creativity, vision and vibrant energy have been both an inspiration to us as well as left us scratching our heads. They keep us going and keep us young at heart even when we are convinced at times that they have been generous contributors of the graying atop our heads. ACHA/SWCHA have unequivocally been the best professional organization in which I have had the privilege of being a member. My involvement in this organization continues returning rewards in the form of ongoing knowledge, support from an ever expanding circle of colleagues as well as friendships that will last a lifetime.
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